Main Content

[7-E-Hostage]

[ANCHOR=Kimberly]

An apparent domestic situation in Bedford County turned deadly yesterday as the situation became a murder-suicide.

Joy Sutton has the details.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=When ]
[SUPER=03-Bedford Co.; :00]
[SUPER=01-Mike Brown/Bedford Co. Sheriff; :16]
[SUPER=@Joy2;1:35]
[RUNS=1:42]
[OUT Q=js news 7]
(( When authorities were called to 2025 Camp Jaycee Road-- they originally thought they would be handling a hostage situation.
But once on the scene-- the situation quickly changed and authorities realized they were actually handling a murder.
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[SOT19:27:00]
[IN Q=The deceased woman was]
((THE DECEASED WOMAN WAS ACTUALLY PULLED FROM THE RESIDENCE BY THE SERGEANT NOT KNOWING IF SHE WAS STILL ALIVE. HE RESPONDED APPROPRIATELY BUT IT WAS OBVIOUS TO HIM THAT SHE WAS DECEASED.))
[RUNS= 21]
[OUT Q=was deceased.]

What authorities didn't know was where in the house the victim's husband was located -- the man they believed to be responsible.
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[SOT 19:30:02]
[IN Q=We knew he was]
((WE KNEW HE WAS ARMED AND OBVIOUSLY HE HAD KILLED ONE PERSON -- AND WE CERTAINLY DANGEROUS. INFORMATION THAT WE HAD WAS THERE WERE ARE NUMBER OF WEAPONS IN THE HOUSE WHICH WAS CORRECT AND WE ALSO WANTED TO GIVE HIM A CHANCE BEFORE WE ENDANGERED OUR OFFICERS OR ENDANGERED HIM TO GIVE HIM AND OPPORTUNITY TO COME OUT OF THE HOUSE TO SURRENDER TO GIVE UP))
[RUNS= 26]
[OUT Q=to surrender to give up]

Tactical teams and a state police negotiator were called in but after about four hours of non communication with the shooter authorities made their move into the house.
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[SOT 19:28:13]
[IN Q=searched]
((SEARCHED THE HOUSE AND DISCOVERED THE MALE INDIVIDUALLY IN THE BEDROOM OBVIOUSLY DOA))
[RUNS= 13]
[OUT Q=doa]

[7-Roanoke-Murder]

It took four hours and hundreds of miles, but authorities have found the suspect in a fatal Roanoke stabbing.
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[VO-NAT]

Around one yesterday morning, 36 year old Paul Andrew Wright was found in his Greenhurst Avenue apartment.
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

He had been stabbed twice and died at the hospital.
The owner of Greenhurst Apartments said Wright and his attacker knew each other.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=Shock, I was really]
((SHOCK, I WAS REALLY SHOCKED. FIRST OF ALL I WAS SHOCKED ABOUT THE SITUATION, WHEN I FOUND OUT IT WAS MIKE WHO I THOUGHT WAS PAUL'S GOOD FRIEND WAS INVOLVED I WAS FLABBERGASTED))
[SUPER=01-Joe Mitchell/Apartment Owner]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=I was flabergasted]
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[VO-NAT]

Authorities say the suspect took the victim's vehicle, committed an armed robbery in Smyth County, and was arrested in Washington County.
39 year old Micheal Edmond Harris of Northwest Roanoke has been charged with the murder.
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[7Weather]

Here's a look at your Monday forecast...
Expect a mostly sunny day with winds reaching 15 to 25 miles per hour.
Highs in the low 50s.
Tonight, mostly clear and breezy, with lows in the 30s.
Looking ahead to the rest of the work week...(ad lib if necessary)
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[45-Wilkins]

Amherst Delegate Vance Wilkins is on his way to becoming Virginia's first Republican speaker of the house.
Yesterday, the House Republican Caucus nominated Wilkins for the post during a closed meeting in Richmond.
All that's needed to secure the spot, is for all 53- members of the caucus to vote for Wilkins when the 100- member house elects a speaker on the first day of the two thousand general assembly.
[SS=VA Republicans]

Republicans also elected Salem Delegate Morgan Griffith as majority leader.

[45-S-Trial-Lawyer]

It may seem that the number of civil cases going to trial courts has reached unprecedented rates in this country.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

But the President of the American Trial Lawyers Association says that's largely fiction perpetuated by the media.

During a brief stop in Roanoke last week, Richard Middleton tried to set the record straight in an interview with Keith Humphry.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=And the truth]
((AND THE TRUTH OF THE MATTER IS THERE ARE LESS CASES FILED PER CAPITA FOR THE NUMBER OF PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY- -NOW, THAN THERE WERE AT THE BEGINNING OF THIS NATION.))
[SUPER=01-Richard Middleton/American Trial Lawyers Assoc.;]
[RUNS=08]
[OUT Q=of this nation.]
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[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[GRAPHIC=NONE]

Middleton was in Roanoke for a speech to the Roanoke Bar Association Tuesday ....and another talk with Law School students at his alma mater, Washington and Lee University.

[45-S-Hunting-Safety]

As the holiday season approaches, hunters are set to hit the woods.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=@File]

General firearms season officially gets underway in Virginia today.
Game wardens caution rifle hunters that they need to be especially careful this year because of the drought, which has left conditions extremely dry.
Tom Wine also has some other tips for making this season a safe one.
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[IN Q=Again]
[SUPER=01-Tom Wine/Game Warden;]
[RUNS=21]
[OUT Q=safe season.]
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[ANCHOR=Kimberly]
[GRAPHIC=HOLD]

A man in Botetourt County recently lost his life while hunting, when he fell from a tree stand.

[45-E-Route77-Ax]

Authorities say an out of control tractor trailer is to blame for a ten vehicle pileup on Interstate 77 in Carroll County.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Carroll Co.;]

It happened around six last night on Fancy Gap Mountain.
State police say the driver of the rig was traveling South when his brakes went out causing him to lose control.
In all, three tractor trailers and seven cars were involved.
The driver of the rig who lost control was flown to a North Carolina hospital.
Nine others were also injured.
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[45Weather]

Taking a break from the news to check weather...
Mostly sunny and windy today...temperatures will only warm up into the low to mid 50s.
Mostly clear and still breezy overnight, with lows dipping into the 30s.
The outlook for the rest of the work week is....
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[8-Roanoke-Murder]

A crime spree that began with a fatal stabbing in Roanoke ended 100 miles away.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Roanoke]

Around one yesterday morning, 36 year old Paul Andrew Wright was found in his Greenhurst Avenue apartment.
He had been stabbed twice and died at the hospital.
The owner of Greenhurst Apartments said Wright and his attacker knew each other.
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[SOT]
[IN Q=Shock, I was really]
((SHOCK, I WAS REALLY SHOCKED. FIRST OF ALL I WAS SHOCKED ABOUT THE SITUATION, WHEN I FOUND OUT IT WAS MIKE WHO I THOUGHT WAS PAUL'S GOOD FRIEND WAS INVOLVED I WAS FLABBERGASTED))
[SUPER=01-Joe Mitchell/Apartment Owner;]
[RUNS=:11]
[OUT Q=I was flabergasted]
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[VO-NAT]

Authorities say the suspect took the victim's vehicle, committed an armed robbery in Smyth County was arrested in Washington County.
39 year old Micheal Edmond Harris of Northwest Roanoke has been charged with the murder.
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[8-E-PittsCt-Fire]

A car fire spread to a home in Pittsylvania county last night.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Pittsylvania Co.]

It happened shortly after 6 o'clock at this house on Hutson Road.
Fire officials say the home ignited after a car in the garage caught fire.
Flames then spread to the roof of the house.
When 30 fire fighters from five departments responded to the scene the home was fully engulfed in flames.
The people living in the house escaped without any injuries.
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[8-E-Route77-Ax]

Interstate 77 in Carroll County was a nightmare for motorists last night, when a wayward tractor- trailer started a chain reaction collision.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Carroll Co.;]

It happened around six last night on Fancy Gap Mountain.
State police say the driver of the rig was traveling South when his brakes failed causing him to lose control.
In all-- three tractor trailers and seven cars were involved.
The driver of the rig who lost control was flown to a North Carolina hospital.
Nine others were also injured.
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[8-Tech-Vendors]

Virginia's largest university is taking an active role in cracking down on factories with inhumane conditions.
Next year, Virginia Tech will require vendors who sell Hokie merchandise to give the location of the factories that make their products.
The new rules go into effect next July and vendors will have a year to submit the locations.

[8-S-Christmas-Store]

The public is being asked to lend a helping hand to an organization that helps make the holiday season a little brighter for needy families.
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[VO-NAT]
[SUPER=03-Salem/File Tape;]

The Community Christmas Store serves hundreds of families in the Roanoke Valley by providing low cost presents and food for the holiday season.
The store survives on donations and volunteers and with the opening date of December 16th fast approaching the Community Christmas store needs someone to donate an empty building.
The building needs to be about 10 to 12 thousand square feet and located in the Roanoke Valley.
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If you would like to volunteer or send donations write the Community Christmas Store at P.O. Box 616, Salem, and the zip code is 24153.
Or call their hotline at 540-375-6973.
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[8Weather]

Before we wrap up this morning...here's another look at your Monday forecast.
Much cooler today...with gusty winds and mostly sunny skies.
Highs in the low to mid 50s.
Tonight will feature mostly clear skies, with lows in the low to mid 30s.
Looking ahead to the next five days...
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